Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Buffalo Sabres Prediction, NHL Odds
The Leafs wrapped up a disappointing five-game home stand with Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to New Jersey, and now enter the weekend stalled in fourth place in the Atlantic Division standings, five points back of first-place Montreal. The Sabres have rebounded from a three-game losing streak to start the season with wins in three of their past four games, all on home ice, capped by Wednesday’s 4-2 victory over the visiting Detroit Red Wings.
Despite their uneven start, the Maple Leafs travel to the Queen City perched as -130 road favourites on Friday’s NHL odds. The Sabres trail as strong +105 underdogs while the odds of the total going OVER 6.0 are pegged at -120.
Maple Leafs vs. Sabres NHL Betting Odds
The Maple Leafs dominated their season series with the Sabres last season, claiming three straight victories by a combined 15-6 margin, capped by a decisive 4-0 win on April 15. Overall, the Leafs have taken five straight from their long-time divisional rivals while surrendering just seven total goals, and have recorded a pair of shutouts while winning three straight in Buffalo. However, the Maple Leafs have struggled to contain opposing shooters during their uneven start, surrendering nine total goals during their current two-game slide and at least four goals in four of their past six outings. That has generated consistent winnings for sports bettors taking the OVER in totals betting, which has paid out in five of Toronto’s first seven games.
After scoring just two total goals during a season-opening three-game swoon, the Sabres have started to find the mark, potting 4.25 goals per game over the past four games and five goals per game during their three-game home surge. That steady start extends last season’s strong finish on home ice, lifting the Sabres to an impressive 17-5-0 in 22 home dates since last season’s NHL All-Star Break.
Toronto Maple Leafs
With just seven total goals over their past three games, the Leafs offence has work to do to find a spark if they are to snap out of their current funk against a Sabres squad that has shown steady improvement on home ice. The club was outclassed in Tuesday’s loss to the Devils, who outshot them by a 35-25 margin, and effectively slammed the door with three goals in under three and a half minutes early in the second period.
A big part of the Leafs’ success last season, goaltender Anthony Stolarz has struggled in the early going, surrendering eight goals on 62 total shots over the past two games. However, he turned aside all 35 shots he faced in a 4-0 victory when the Sabres visited Toronto in April. John Tavares has provided almost all the offence over the past two games, getting in on four of the team’s five total goals with three markers and one assist, and should be backed on the NHL player props to extend his points streak on Friday.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres benefited from an impressive performance in Colten Ellis’ NHL debut on Wednesday night. The rookie netminder turned aside 29 of 31 shots in the club’s 4-2 win over Detroit. That provided Alex Lyon with a much-deserved night off. Lyon has stood tall while seeing plenty of rubber in six starts. The veteran netminder has faced an average of 33 shots per game and has made at least 32 saves on three occasions to date. That steady goaltending has given the Sabres attack a chance to find a groove, with Jack Quinn leading the way. Quinn tallied the game-winning goal on the power play and added a pair of helpers in Wednesday’s victory and has now piled up three goals and six points over the past four games. The 24-year-old has seen five of his six points this season come at home, and recorded a pair of goals in three dates with the Leafs last season.
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